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2010 Acura TSX
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Comments
I'm not sure which surprises me most the most, that the GTI scores so high given all of VW's bad reliability press or Acura scores so low, given their Honda DNA.
Any opinions?
Its all the same though. Initial quality is just initial. For some reason people are trying to take stabs at Acura's new approach and design. Every time designers get a bit "daring" in their vehicles' looks they get hammered for it. It is typical because the average American motorist wants their vehicle to be bland like their food. Acura stepped out of that blandness (not like they were too bland before) and introduced a vehicle line-up that is stellar. Not everyone agrees with the motor setups in each car and most think they should all be RWD. Well then that's getting away from Honda's heritage with the exception of the S2000. That car had a good reason to be RWD. Not the TSX. Not the TL.
I know this post is all over the map but forgive me as I tend to vent while I think about these things on the fly.
I was at the auto show a few weeks ago in Virginia Beach. I got to see every vehicle side by side which was great since I was on the market for a new one. I had done 7 months of research. I wanted the BEST vehicle I could find that covered everything I wanted out of it including warranty and reliability. I looked at Acura last and I couldn't walk away. I was sold on the TSX that day. Two days ago I pulled the trigger and inked a deal on a 2010 TSX. I am more than confident that I, including everyone else that purchases and Acura, essentially bought the best vehicle on the market. Initial quality is better than that of the GTI. I sat in the GTI. I hated it. The TSX? I didn't want to get out of it. I think they were biased because of the performance figures on the window sticker. The GTI with more HP and torque, a manual, and whatever else doesn't exactly fit the bill with "initial quality." Like I said, They are biased and I think VW bought out a few of the people doing the scoring to sell more cars. And everytime I hear the words "German engineering" all I can think of is seeing my buddies 335i being loaded on a flatbed and hauled off to the BMW service department. Its not a great sports car if it cant handle the rigors of 35mph roads. Gee. Really pushing it aren't I? I propose a boycott on crappy German engineering. Buy an Acura.
On a Europe trip last year we had the chance to rent both a Skoda Octavia which we loved and felt rock solid and an Audi A3 Turbo Diesel with A/T that was also a blast to drive. It left us hungering for an affordable German car. Generally reviews indicate questionable reliability and a terrible dealer network at VW but rarely question the fun factor of the car.
I've read a mix of reviews on the TSX from the largely negative reviews at "The Truth About Cars" which were negative on the electric steering and interior design to more positive reviews on Autoblog.
What I want to make sure of is, if I forgo German car performance for Japanese reliability, that I really get the reliability.
Now about the electric steering in the TSX. When I first drove one it was a 2009. I HATED it. I started shopping for a 1st gen TSX. But I kept coming back to the 2nd gen because I wanted something with 0 miles on it and brand new so I was stuck with the 2nd gen. I went back and drove a 2010. The steering was still a little something to get used to because it is a bit of a change from the traditional setup but other than that it was dead on straight and rock solid. I loved it. So I thought it was just the other car that was having an issue. I found out after I bought my 2010 that for the 2010 model year they revised the programming that would help give the vehicle the solid straight line drive instead of constantly having to compensate to keep it going forward. Lucky me. But that definitely changed my tune about the car. I'm not sure anyone has recognized this step by Acura to fix that glitch yet but it seems to me that the steering is now just something to get used to as with any dramatic change to anything you do.
Finally, Japanese reliability vs. sports car fun = it is all up to you on what you are willing to put up with. It really doesn't matter what you get. It is your tolerance to b/s. It should be a car that fits your personality. It should all but speak to you. And in some cases it will, at great length. The TSX was perfect for me. It did all of that and it has reliability. If it breaks, I have a warranty. Good luck with your choices.
And before you dismiss the BMW leatherette, have you actually personally had one with the leatherette. It's probably a higher-quality material that some of the crap leather Honda puts in their cars.
BMWs N54 fuel pump failures are well documented. They realize a problem & have replaced the twin scroll turbo with a single scroll turbo pumping out the same HP & Torque #s as the N54.
Our '07 X3 has been the absolute pinnacle of reliability. In a little over 2 & a half years it has only been back to the dealer once (unscheduled) - wouldn't start one am. The dealer took me right away & put me in a loaner vehicle. BTW, the leatherette is awesome.
My Dad also had an '04 X5 3.0 & is currently coming to the end of his lease on an '07 X5 3.0 that were dead reliable. My Mom had an '05 530i & currently drives an '08 328xi that have been absolutely fantastic.
Our '10 TSX Tech is a fantastic car for the money. It has drives great, gets stellar gas mileage, has a huge trunk, every option imaginable, and has probably the best slushbox I've ever driven. The electric power steering works well driving on the highway, but get out of the TSX and into a 3 series or even my Prelude or X3 & you notice a big difference.
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD
My sister is looking for a new family car, so today we are going to test drive a 2010 TSX.
What was the problem you had with your run flats?
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD
Check out VW's rating for the Golf. Above average reliability.
I have currently both luxury and mainstream cars and I can say with 100% certainty that Acura is just as luxurious as BMW, Mercedes, Lexus, etc! and this is based off not only my experience with the cars but with the dealership, service department, and corporate in regards to customer service etc!
I have been having to constantly defend all our honors because I personally feel this argument is ludicrous, and while Acura certainly doesn't have a luxury sport enthusiast background (ie the lack of a V8 with RWD model) that doesn't mean that they are not any less luxurious then the other 5 in all sense of the word "luxury"
I've argued that except for sport performance/super crisp handling, Acura provides all the necessary characteristics of a luxury brand, such as high quality, proven reliability, above and beyond dealership/service experience, loaner cars, high reliability, great technology, and luxury creature comfort! all of which make it a luxury brand
I'm sick of people trashing Acura like they are rebadged Honda's while I have test driven Honda's back to back with Acura's I can assure you they are not simply rebadged Honda's!!
I wanted to get all you Acura owner and leasee thoughts on this subject and suggest you visit the luxury boards on edmunds and defend Acura's luxury status with a passion and tell all the rest of the luxury car owning community, especially the sport enthusiast community WHY AND WHAT makes Acura a luxury line!!
I personally and tired of hearing from the BMW, Mercedes, and Lexus people that Acura is a "wannabe" or "pretend" luxury brand - their is more to luxury then V8/RWD don't you think???
Look forward to hearing your posts!!!
If you love the luxury of your Acura, that's all that matters.
Personally, I think Acura is a "tweener" brand on the luxury scale. Kind of in there with Volvo, Saab, and Lincoln. I do think that not having a RWD sedan hurts Acura's image.
Part of Acura's beauty is that underneath the leather, Satellite Linked Navigation System, sport tuned suspension, bluetooth, voice recognition technology... lies a Honda. I think they do an excellent job of differentiating platform mates (We are not talking about badge engineering here).
If anything, the one luxury brand guilty of "rebadging" is Lexus. Their top 2 selling models (ES350 & RX350) are re-skinned Camrys. Part of what Toyota has done over the past few years is make the loaded up Camrys so nice on the inside so you "can hardly tell its not a Lexus."
Personally I applaud Acura for having a 4 cylinder engine in a Luxury car - something I WISH BMW would do.
Personally, the way a car drives is much more important than its luxury features. It is part of the reason my 2010 Acura TSX will replace our '07 X3 as the family hauler once the BMWs lease is up in July.
The 3 major gripes I have with my TSX are the leather, the brakes, & the steering.
While it is nice to say that leather is a standard feature, it is definitely a cheaper grade of leather. I can already see signs of wear on the driver's side bolster. The leatherette in our '07 X3 still looks brand new & looks like it will stay that way forever. But again, you have to build cars to a price point to make a profit.
The brakes are decent at best, NOWHERE near as fantastic as on our X3 (or my '01 Prelude Type SH). I think this is one area that Honda flat out cheaped out on.
The electric power steering doesn't remotely tramsmit as much feedback as a traditional hydraulic rack (See my wife's X3 & my Prelude). But I understand this was done for fuel economy purposes.
Everything else about my 2010 TSX I absolutely LOVE. The seats are thickly bolstered & very comfortable. The trunk is massive. Heated seats work wonders on those chilly mornings. The engine is a gem, loves to rev. This car has the best slushbox I've ever driven, responds quickly to pedal input & will hold a lower gear all day at the redline in Sport or Manual mode. Fuel economy is fantastic. Cruising range is excellent. Interior plastics are first rate. I really dig the ride - it is comfortable without being isolated. The NAV is teriffic.... What else can I say?
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD
Very well put; in fact, that's much of why I bought my TSX -- otherwise, I would have bought an Audi A3. I'm especially glad I got the last of the TSXs without the beak & electric steering, and who knows what else. Overall, I'm a pretty happy camper. What I really wanted was RWD, manual trans, real tires and a small diesel. Oh well. . .
Some say that Acura interiors utilize too much plastic. Others don't care/notice; I'm in the latter group.
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD
Comparing an '80's Volvo diesel to the MGB, 240-Z & two Miatas I've owned and driven over 400K combined miles, to say nothing of the Lincoln LS I drove 128K miles (all RWD w/ manuals) misses the point I was trying to make. Today's diesels, available in Europe, but not here, are nothing like those we dealt with 30 years ago.
What I was trying to say was that if I could have purchased a BMW 3 w/ a 2.0 or 2.5 litre diesel, or the A3 2.0 TDI, all of which are available in Europe with manual transmissions, real tires & dipsticks, I would have done it in a heartbeat. None were available in North America or are likely to be, ever, thanks to the CARB.
Part of why I bought my TSX was to have a same-make trade when the TSX diesel was brought to the U.S. Well, that never happened (also thanks to CARB), and here I am -- not bad, just not what I was hoping for.
Recently bought an '09 TSX Tech. Nice car, good value. Still would take a Bimmer 1 or 3 series over it, all else being equal. The sales experience was not a "luxury" experience though. And I'm on good terms with this dealer, being a repeat customer, so it wasn't like they didn't try their best. But, hey, they can only work with the resources that they have been given. It is what it is.
But I don't see why people need to justify whether or not Acura is a luxury brand. To me, it's not. But it's ok. It's for people who want Honda reliability and quality but with a little more pizzazz. It's a good product, luxury or not. Again, it is what it is.
Huh? Sorry, I don't quite follow the logic. You bought for the purpose of setting up for the next trade? And is same-make that important in a trade?
For a single person or a married couple with no children, I'd take a 328i in a heartbeat (Sport Package, Sunroof, Heated Seats, 6 speed stick - that's it).
Like I said the other day, I know you're paying for BMW's RWD chassis (as opposed to an Accord platform), brakes, handling...
As a family car, the TSX holds its own against its famed competitor from Munich. Huge trunk, very comfortable & usable back seat, lots of techno-stuff, and fantastic gas mileage to go along with its wonderful driving experience.
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD
Owning a honda product does not necessarily mean it will have no problems. I owned a 05 Honda civic ex-se and own a 05 Hyundai Elantra GT, both bought new, with MT. The civic had one annoying problem after another. Sold it. Still have the hyundai with 90,000+problem free miles. We, in fact, owned a 88 hyundai excel, that had 250,000+problem free miles when it was totaled by a red-light runner.
automatic transmission - no stick, no V6.
I lost all interest, no stick, no sale for me. I am not sure Acura (and other makers)
fully realize that for some of us the transmission is REALLY not negotiable. If there is no stick shift, we will go elsewhere. For now, there is always BMW (as much as I hate the image coming with being a BMW driver).
That TSX wagon is a one ugly son of $%^$%!!
So, I have moved on to an Infiniti G37 6MT sedan with Nav. Have been driving Honda Accords since 1982, but it's time to move on to other brands.
Absolutely -- you and I think exactly alike on this.
. . .there is always BMW (as much as I hate the image coming with being a BMW driver).
I used to be with you on this as well, but since BMW went to solid rubber tires (RFTs--they may be heavy & expensive, but at least they mess up the ride & aren't available anywhere but large cities, or on the weekend or in the middle of the night), along with the anti-do-it-yourself concept (no dipstick, for starters) and unwillingness to bring the smaller diesels to North America, I've lost interest in them.
Audi still makes quite a few cars with real tires and manual transmissions.
Hope you can find something you like. The pickins are getting slimmer and slimmer for me.
I'm sure the TSX line as a whole doesn't sell that many manual transmissions, so Honda figures to play it safe and only offer the wagon with a slushbox & 4 banger (everyone's into good fuel economy numbers these days).
I'm a die hard manual transmission guy (My '01 Prelude Type SH 5 speed has almost 120K miles), but the TSX has THE BEST slushbox I've ever driven. It is ultra-responsive, downshifts when you ask it to & doesn't upshift unless you want it to (holds gear at the redline in sport or manual mode).
Don't knock the 4 cyl until you try it. It is light & has pretty decent midrange power. I'm continually impressed with its passing power & fuel economy.
There's nothing wrong with being a BMW driver. They build wonderful cars (We lease an '07 X3). My only problem with BMW is the dimunitive size of the 3 series. You want a BMW wagon with a stick, its going to be a 3 series. You're going to have to special order one. The passenger room & cargo space in a 3 series isn't exactly big.
Good luck!
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD
Those 21 baby-boomer Elvis fans also happen to all be Avon salesladies. So the total remains 52, not 73 as you would have us believe.